Start And End Your Day With Inspiration - Art For Your Room

A few weeks ago I started looking into the feng shui of my house to see what I can do to increase the positive chi or energy in my home. I found a lot of things that were "off" and set out to rectify or improve what I could without breaking the bank. One of the things I decided to do was create a motivational piece that I  could wake up to every morning and see before I go to bed. Now, you don't have to believe in the whole feng shui business, but I think that this is a good idea for anyone. Sometimes we just need a little reminder. So pick a quote or even a single word that means a lot to you and put it on a canvas.

One thing that I have learned is that I have a greater control over my emotions than I thought. Emotions are a choice and we can find many things in our current lives to satisfy the choices of how we want to feel, but we may not conscious of these choices. If we want to be angry, it is easy to find something to be angry about. If we want to be happy, we are bound to find happiness somewhere if we are willing to look for it and be open to it. It can sometimes make us vulnerable, but vulnerably is what makes us real. I wanted to remind myself of this everyday and I wanted it pretty immediately so I went right to my craft room and had at it.

It's not the most artistic piece of mine, but it's the message that counts right? :) Just pick your favorite colors and get a wide brush and blend them for the background. In my case I had a tiny brush, so it took a bit longer. Then, write your message in a contrasting color. My walls are a light minty green, so I picked calming colors that went with my wall and bedding. When I see it, it makes me smile.

Quick Tips For Your Next Presentation

We've all heard that most people fear public speaking more than death itself. Do you feel the same when you are put in a situation where you have to talk in front of people? I am a bit shy and awkward as it is sometimes! I have given some decent presentations throughout my college career and do get some sort of adrenaline rush out of it. I have a certain amount of confidence when speaking in front of my college peers only because I know that each and everyone of them will be in my situation. However, speaking to my professional community frightens me terribly. I decided that the only way to get over this fear is to actually DO IT and PRACTICE. This is where my personal and career development goals kick in...

I was nominated and accepted to be a Diversity Ambassador for my work and my main responsibility is to provide internal and external presentations about the diversity efforts, programs, and potential within the company. I am one of two individual representing the IT department and there are a total of thirty Ambassadors. Once I become fully certified, I will need to make presentations regularly. I was hesitant to accept the nomination because I didn't want to speak in front of people at work. It wasn't until the last couple of hours of my acceptance window that I finally decided that I needed to challenge myself and face one of my biggest fears. Someone believed in me and I needed to learn to believe in myself too. I had to attend a series of quick courses on presenting and jotted down a few key points. Here is a link to my notes that you may find helpful: Presentation Tips.

I was at a work conference last weekend and I was really in awe of how well my CEO and the attending SVPs and guest speakers presented. It's easy to think that all these individuals were born with the skills to speak in front of a large audience, but they admitted that very few were good at presenting from the beginning. Here is where I go off on a small tangent... Seeing where they are in their careers now and understanding their dedication and hard work to get where they are was an eye-opening experience. We may not all have exactly what it takes to be a CEO no matter how hard we try, because there can only be so many... However, as long as we are realistic about what our potential is given our circumstances and environment, there is only one thing or person that can absolutely stop us on our path to personal success. US. If we decide that we cannot do something, we may not exert enough effort to be able to do it. If we decide that we don't want to do something, we may not do it at all. Our most immediate limitations are ourselves. Persistence and dedication will take us to the furthest point of success, while apathy and complacency leaves us at a standstill.

Challenge yourself to be better at something!

Quotes and Inspirational Images

When I have nothing to do or I need a little pick me up, I like to google images with inspirational or fun quotes to get me back in the right state of mind. Here is a collection of the ones that I have saved and which I will keep updated. I hope you guys enjoy them. Have a happy Thursday!

Quotes and Inspirational Images

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

Most of us have heard of the book Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus for some time now, or at least have heard that phrase thrown around a bit in the last decade or so. I recall hearing about this book on Oprah a long time ago, but hadn't paid any attention to it. A good friend of mine had loaned me her copy of the book and said that I could benefit from reading it. It sat on a book shelf unopened for over a year. I thought it was corny and I didn't want to bother with it. A couple of months ago, my friend had insisted that I try to read through the book from finish to end because some of the things that I had been experiencing in my relationship were issues in most relationships. The first few chapters were hard to get through because it was a bit cheesy. However, the more I read, the more I could identify with what the author was saying. That got my attention. It ended up being an easy read once I became open-minded to it. I am glad that I read the book, because it made me see things in a different light and gain perspective. If I can choose only one valuable lesson I learned from this book, I would say that I learned that there are certain things that I just shouldn't take personally; there are inherited difference between how men and women communicate and interpret messages and neither parties can help it sometimes. I think that I can see why so many marriages end in failure. :O Relationships are a lot of work and they always will be. I urge all of you to read this book. Not all the concepts apply to everyone, but I think enough of it will relate to most people. I bought my own copy of the book and it became a gateway book. I came across a PDF of it that you can use for a preview: Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus. Please purchase a copy of the book if you enjoy it.

DIY Fortune Cookies With A Personalized Message

My friends and I love fortune cookies. We don't ever eat the cookies, but we like to read the fortunes. I thought it would be a good idea to make my own (non-edible) cookies with my own fortunes and messages. I made one with a thank you message to my friend for helping me feed my kitties while I was out of town and made another one with a fun message for someone else. They are very simple to make and my tutorial can be found on my crafting blog, www.cupofthreads.com. Click on the picture below to go directly to the tutorial. If you want a cute way to say thank you or tell someone that you are thinking of them, give this a try!

8 Minute Mediation - Week 1

I have been reading and following the book 8 Minute Mediation by Victor Davich and just wrapped up Week 1. Here is a preview of the book: Preview. The concept behind the book is pretty simple. The author makes meditation simple and quick by guiding readers through eight weeks of meditation with a different method each week and just eight minutes each day. The book is not focused on achieving Enlightenment or reaching some sort of spiritual epiphany through meditation. It would be great if you did along the way though! The main objective that it focuses is to use meditation as way of de-stressing and finding a calmer inner-self. Anyone can do it and it takes virtually no time at all. The book is extremely easy to follow and I feel like meditating, in combination with other improvements in my life, have helped make me a calmer person. You just have to take eight minutes of your time to sit and do absolutely nothing. The author also stresses that it's not necessary to think of nothing. I am not sure that is possible for me anyway :). The point is not to block thoughts, but rather to allow yourself to feel and think what does come to you. Allow the feelings to come through and accept/acknowledge them and simply let them go. This is the "Catch and Release" method and it is what the first week is based on. Once I started doing this in my meditation, I started noticing myself adopt this in my everyday life. I quickly found myself less aggititated, calmer, and less anxious. These are the instructions for the first week as found in the book:

Preparation:

• Set your timer for 8 minutes.
• Take your meditation position on your chair, comfortable and alert.
• Gently allow your eyes to close.
• Take a long, deep inhale that sweeps up your current worries, hopes, and dreams. Hold it for a moment. Then gently and slowly "sigh" it out.
• One more time. Deep breath. Release any remaining tension.
• Start your timer.

Instructions:

• Notice if you are controlling your breath. If so, release control. Relax.
• Notice that place in your body where you are most aware of the sensation of breathing. It may be your chest, diaphragm, or nostrils. There is no "right" place.
• Gently direct your attention to that place. We call it the "anchor point".
• With your attention on the anchor point, observe the natural rise and fall of the breath. Try to view this as not "your breath" but "the breath".
• Allow... allow... allow. There's no need to become involved or figure anything out.
• Thinking? No problem. Simply notice this. Gently return to your anchor point, your breath.
• Try to follow just one full in-and-out cycle of breath. If you can, then follow another. If you can't, fine. Just start over.
• Frustration? Irritation? Just notice these sensations. And return to your anchor point.
• Continue in this way. Simply observe the natural cycle of breath at your anchor point.
• Can you follow just one breath?
• Do this until your timer sounds.
• Repeat this technique for 8 minutes a day for one week.

Good luck and I hope you are on your way to a calmer you.

Compliment Cards

I worked at retail stores during most of college. Most of my work involved sales, so it was heavily customer service oriented. I am someone who cares a lot about my work, so naturally it was important that did my job well and gave my all to my customers. Perhaps because of this, I truly value good service experiences. People who deal with customers everyday see a variety of personalities and experience a range of customers' moods. There are always a few not so great experiences. Also, they are only human, so sometimes they might already be having a bad day themselves. I really appreciate it when someone provides me exceptional service despite that. I always try to find a way to thank them for being exceptional. It can be as simple as being an awesome customer in return. I thought a lot about this a couple weeks ago, and I came up with an idea of something small and simple... "compliment cards". Originally, I had planned to print business cards with a message like "Thanks for your help today. You were awesome!". It was going to be for my barista or maybe someone at a store who provided great assistance. However, I decided that I would leave them blank so I could write a personal message for each scenario and it didn't have to be service-related. I wanted to give compliments to anyone who I observed doing a kind act for anyone, not just me. I felt a little silly handing the cards out, but I finally gave two away today and it felt good! Here is an example of my cards:

Sure, it's a little cheesy but something simple like this can still put a smile on someone's face. If I can do something so simple and achieve that, then I am okay with being a cheesy :)

Pick Me Ups

I wanted to keep an ongoing list of things that I've found helpful in cheering me up when I need some cheering. It's not going to help everyone, but hopefully some of you might find a few items that you might enjoy. Sometimes we also just needed a little reminder of the obvious. This list can be found here: Pick Me Ups. I will be updating it frequently, so be sure to bookmark it if you find it useful.

In no particular order of importance or effectiveness:

• READ. Even though I just mentioned that this list has no particular order, it's funny that this is the first one that I've listed. I haven’t bought a book for “fun” since middle school and I’ve bought several books in the last few weeks. I prefer non-fictional reads, but read whatever you enjoy. It’s been one of my top coping mechanisms, because it’s refreshing to have something else to concentrate on. It is a great distraction.
• Listen to podcasts. Whether it be something funny or inspirational, have it play in the background while you drive, work, or doing anything around the house. Laugh. Be inspired.
• Hang out with friends. This can be difficult when you are in a moping-do-nothing-and-see-nobody mood, but I don’t know how to say any differently or more clearly: “suck it up and just do it!” This is what friends are for and humans are social beings. Even someone who tends to be an introvert and somewhat anti-social at times can benefit from this.
• Drive. Go on a road trip or just go on a short drive with your windows down and the wind in your hair (guys can do this too!). Visit a friend who you don’t normally visit. Make it a trip, no matter how small. Just be sure to wear your sunglasses.
• Journal. Keep track of your thoughts. Go back to it from time to time and see how and if you see any changes. It’s the one place where you can be completely honest and know that there is no judgment.
• Write a letter. If you are angry, hurt, or sad, writing helps diffuse those emotions BEFORE you let them explode on the other party or some unlucky bystander who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. We may not necessarily always have time to do this, but if something is big enough to cause major disruptions in your life, then MAKE the time.  Writing a letter allows the intended audience to hear all your thoughts before they have the chance interrupt or redirect your message. Who knows, maybe by the end of the letter you will have found some resolution to your feelings.
• Challenge yourself and learn something new. Go back to an old hobby that you abandoned. Try to do something you weren’t able to do before, even if it is doing it just a little better this time around. The point is keep busy and to keep life moving as much as possible. It is true when people say hat time heals all. You might find yourself taking a break one day and realize that you’ve been OK for a while already.
•  Volunteer. I’m about to reference a Friends episode here… Is there a really a kind act that is completely selfless? Does the satisfaction or gratification we feel from doing something good make it marginally selfish? I don’t know that there is a right answer to that and it sounds a whole lot like the debate of whether the chicken or the egg came first. Here is what I DO know… there is always room for help everywhere and all the time. I don’t think that any organization will turn down or judge someone’s intention to help even if it’s for self-satisfaction or to just keep busy. Help is help; just be sure to follow up.
• Join organizations. Become involved in your community or at work. Professional organizations are a great way to develop your career and it can also make you enjoy work more. The more you are vested in something, the more you care about it and the more you want to do well.
• Be successful at work. Take initiative whenever you can and aim to excel at all that you do. Being successful and a high contributor at work builds self-esteem. Self esteem equals confidence and confidence means you that can believe that you are strong enough to get though your problems.
• Want to read more? Click to see the rest.

About

"Most folks are as happy as they make up their mind to be." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Happiness is a conscious choice. It is not something we can demand or expect. It took going through a very difficult time for me to realize that I have control over my own happiness... that I am accountable for my own emotional welfare... that anger is also a conscious choice and it unfortunately often won. I don't have many close friends but luckily I had a few that were really there for me when I needed them. They were my therapy and it was a humbling experience. I spent more time reading, writing, listening to podcasts that were motivating and taught lessons about life (particularly about love and relationships), and just started doing things that I've always wanted to do while not being afraid of challenges. I've been on a period of self reflection and on a journey to find my happiness and I want to share the wisdom I have found in others. I also want to share what was helpful in cheering me up during my darkest times. I am grateful that there are so many people out there who share what they learned from their mistakes and successes, so that we can be led by examples. I wanted to be able to offer the same.

This is my happiness project. I am Cuc.