Listening to my heart, one journal step at a time.
05 Jun 2015 Comments Off on Don’t waste time
Clock
03 Jun 2015 Comments Off on Prompts
in Prompts Tags: Charlotte Bronte, Journal prompts, L. Frank Baum
Dear Fellow Journalers,
The following 3 quotes are inspirational:
” A word has power in and of itself. It comes from nothing into sound and meaning. It gives origin to all things.”
N. Scott Momeday
” No thief, however skillful can rob one of knowledge, and that is why knowledge is the best and safest treasure to acquire.”
L. Frank Baum
” I am no bird, and no net ensares me. I am a free human being with an independent will.”
Charlotte Bronte
~Sallie
01 Jun 2015 Comments Off on Are you happy?
in Pursuit of Happiness Tags: friends, habits, Happiness, positive mindfulness, Winston Churchill
Are you happy?
Dear Fellow Journalers,
The Pursuit of Happiness this month focuses on Happiness Habits. Please write the following questions/statements on a piece of paper or your journal, think about your answers, and then write them down. The multiple choice answers are the same for questions 1-3, 5-9. The multiple choices are:
Never once/twice a day once/twice month once/twice week, once a day
I engage in activities (sports, writing) that I find challenging.
I have feelings of gratitude towards persons and events from my past.
I am able to focus on the present moment and not get distracted by thoughts of the past or future.
I am optimistic about the future.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
How did your “Quiz” go? Do you feel more optimistic about your life? Are you a happy person?
There are 6 habits of happy people which may help you become happier. They are:
Express your heart. People who have one or more close friendships tend to be happier. I have 2 close friends who literally would “give me the blouse off their back”. They bolster me and lift me up. We’ve solved the world’s problems over lunch!
Relationships
Cultivate Kindness. Caring for someone else lifts you out of depression. Charitable acts such as visiting the sick, collecting food items or just donating time lifts you and someone else to a higher level.
Caring
Exercise Regularly. Working out or playing sports not only improves your mood but your mental health as well. Taking a walk around your yard or working in your garden counts also.
Exercising
Flow. When you are writing in your journal or creating your next masterpiece have you ever been so focused that time got away from you? That’s what flow is. You loose self-consciousness when you are totally immersed in an activity that is challenging and uses your skills and talents.
Flow
Strengths and Virtues. Using your strengths and virtues for the greater good helps you utilize those skills better!
Positive Mindfulness. The glass is 1/2 full. Winston Churchill is quoted as saying “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimistic sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” If you have ever read or heard his speeches during the Second World War this underlying theme “plays” out in them.
1/2full glass
Be happy!
~Sallie
27 May 2015 1 Comment
in Perspectives Tags: Creativity, disconnecting, Google, pinterest, Solitaire
Dear Fellow Journalers,
Is it possible to let go of electronic devices? I was reading an article recently about taking a break from such devices as TV, cell phone, laptop etc. The author suggested that while digital and electronic devices make our lives easier they also limit our ability to solve problems. One of the things that really “bugs” me about smart phones is that they take us away from communicating with people. How many times have you been in a restaurant and seen a nice family sitting down for dinner and the children are texting away and the parents are trying to have a conversation with them?!
Digital and electronic devices can make our lives easier, that is true. You can Google a journal prompt, use Pinterest for a journal cover, or check someone’s blog for a tutorial. Convinced yet?
Why not try letting go for 1 week. Instead of using the Note app feature, take a pen and lined paper and write a “To Do” list. Guess what? You won’t have to worry about batteries or syncing issues. You’ll feel so accomplished when you physically cross something off the list.
When was the last time you picked up a magazine or hard covered book? I have to admit I have had a problem with this one. I tend to check to see if the book I want to read is on Kindle rather than go to my wonderful library. I reason that I won’t have to go out and I won’t have any due date to worry about. But sometimes I will admit, I miss turning pages the “old-fashioned way”. Oh, and you can keep the pages of a book open indefinitely!
Post-its are not just for the office. Apparently there is an app for that one too. But a real-life, honest-to-goodness pink/yellow/blue piece of sticky paper can be stuck almost anywhere – your fridge, your bathroom mirror and your calendar! You can’t forget what you are trying to remember if you see that reminder during the day. You will probably tackle the problem/task faster too. Problem solved.
Computer puzzles – ok, I admit it. I am addicted to Solitaire. It is an enormous waste of time. But the game makes me think and sometimes helps me solve a sketch for a card or a post I am trying to re-write.
Coloring Books are not just for children. Our Granddaughter loves to use crayons. She puts several colors in her little fist and scribbles away. Mickey Mouse gets yellow ears and Minnie sports purple shoes. A lot of time, she coaxes her Grandparents to join in the fun. I found that coloring was really satisfying. I had to use my creativity and problem solving abilities.
If you try disconnecting for a period of time, write and let me know about your journey in boosting your creativity.
‘Til next time,
~Sallie
Copyright – 2015 by Uniquelyyourscraftjournal
All rights reserved.
Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given
To Sallie and uniquelyyourscraftjournal with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
You may reach Sallie at uniquelyyourscraftjournal@outlook.com
25 May 2015 1 Comment
in Perspectives Tags: medals, Memorial Day
Dear Fellow Journalers,
The following is from Memorial Day 2013 written by our friend G. Enjoy!
Sallie
Last Friday, my adopted granddaughter Carla arrived for a sleepover and to spend the day on Saturday. As she arrived, I was in the middle of the constant effort to clean out the many years of accumulated stuff in our home and I was working on the many boxes of military uniforms and insignia that piled up over the years. Stuff was all over the floor in the living room.
Carla slept later than usual on Saturday morning, probably because of the 92 pieces of pepperoni pizza she’d eaten the night before.
As she groggily made her way down the hallway, I looked up from this military mess I was working on, said good morning and asked if she wanted some breakfast.
“No thanks Granppy, I’m not hungry (wonder why?) Just some milk please.”
“You want to watch cartoons while you wake up honey?”
But for some strange reason, she was more interested in what I was doing. She clambered up on my lap, and began to ask questions.
“What’s that Granppy? What does that mean Granppy?” I did my best to explain.
We even found some old photos of long ago and far away. Carla remarked “Boy Granppy, you were handsome then!” I laughed so hard I almost busted a gut. Realizing what she had said, she tried to recover. ‘I mean you’re still handsome now, only much older!” I almost fell off the chair I was laughing so hard.
Finally we reached the box that contained my medals. I tried to close the box quickly, favoring to sort this one in private. Carla was having none of it. She demanded that I identify each one. I tried to fluff this off, but she insisted.
When I finished, she said “Boy Granppy, you were brave!”
I really wanted to get this one right. I wanted desperately to say the right thing. I wanted her to know that there is no glory in war, only pain, suffering and heartbreak.
“No sweetie, I was afraid, VERY afraid. But I prayed that God would give me strength and love, because love of my country, of freedom, and of my fellow Marines would give me the strength to do what I had to do, and God answered my prayers.”
This wonderful, amazing child said no words, only put her hands around my neck, kissed my cheek, and hugged me. Right then and there, if I ever needed affirmation of the things I had done, I got it.
While I’m very concerned about America today, this sweet child of God made me know that our American way of life must go on, and the things my brother soldiers and I did made her an inheritor to the heritage of freedom.
Carla slid off my lap, and poured herself another glass of milk. (She only spilled a little!) Then she went over to an American flag displayed in a corner of the room.
“Granppy, know what I like best about America?”
“No honey, what?”
“McDonalds Happy Meals!”
How can you argue with logic like that? Glancing at my watch, I saw it was about that time.
“OK Sunshine, go wash you face, brush your teeth, get dressed and let’s go!”
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