May 2015 - INSPIRING MAX

Dreams Not Nightmares

May 27, 2015 inspiringmax

Describe the last nightmare you remember having. What do you think it meant?

Fortunately I don’t have nightmares. I do however have dreams that disturb my sleep and wake me up. They always relate to an issue that I need to deal with, usually work related. When this happens I review the situation and work out what I need to do next. My dreams generally:

Allow me to move on or let go
Clarify a situation
Draw my attention to watch this space even if I choose not to do anything about it at the time
Direct my writing
Give me clues about how to manage something
Helps me deal with stress
Point out things that are on my mind
Predict how a situation with play out in life
Reveals a different level of insight into the situation

I love how my dreams support me. I process what they are telling me and deal with the issue, however I see fit when. Sometimes I can’t put my finger on the exact problem until it comes up in my dreams to give me the final bit of insight.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/nightmares

Powerful Playlist

May 25, 2015 inspiringmax

Put together a musical playlist of songs that describe your life, including what you hope your future entails.

Music is powerful. It is part of my everyday life and is a great reminder of the past and motivator for the future. My present life playlist includes the following songs:

This song reminds me of my early years. It gives me motivation to continue with whatever goal I am seeking at the time.

https://youtu.be/MUBnxqEVKlk

I have loved this song since I was a teenager. Helen Reddy is Australian and the fact that her song was changing the world for women everywhere made me realise I could do anything I set my mind to. It was the anthem of International Women’s Year in 1975.

I am proud to be Australian. This song describes the history of the Australian people and reminds me—we are all one.

The final two songs give me motivation to set goals and work hard to achieve them. They remind me that I can choose how things impact me. By pushing myself, I can achieve things I never thought possible and become stronger in every way.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/mix-tape/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Broken

May 24, 2015May 24, 2015 inspiringmax

I spent the first nearly 30 years of my life living in Newcastle. But it wasn’t until I was 50 that I happened upon this old broken railway line going up to Nobby’s Lighthouse. On that same walk, I also discovered these rocks broken off the cliff face.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/something-broken/

Reflection

May 22, 2015 inspiringmax

Tell us about times in which you linger — when you don’t want an event, or a day to end. What is it you love about these times? Why do you wish you could linger forever?

For me lingering is not about not wanting an experience to end, but reflecting on its significance to mine or someone else’s life. Traveling to different countries and cultures has given me many moments to linger and reflect on to gain understanding and insight into what life must have been like during that time in history.

My first experience of really lingering in a place was when my house was packed into removalist boxes, ready for transport next day to Sydney, prior to my marriage 25 years ago. I suddenly realised my old life was in those boxes and my new scary, exciting and mysterious life was awaiting me. I sat quietly in the dark surrounded by my mountains of boxes reflecting on my life until I gathered the momentum to close the door behind me and move forward with my life. During reflection I consider some or all of the following:

Remembering the significance

Experiencing the emotions

Frozen in time

Lingering in the moment

End of an era

Choosing a new direction

Trust

Invoking insight and inspiration

Open mindedness

New horizons

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/linger/

Happy Pill

May 21, 2015 inspiringmax

If you could create a painless, inexpensive cure for a single ailment, what would you cure and why?

Working in mental health I would love to find a cure for low self-esteem. It is at the core of many illness and plays a major role in suicide and self-harm behaviours. Low self-esteem can be improved however it is usually a long, slow journey, which the person living with it struggles to believe is possible to change. This impacts their want to start as it seems to hard. By creating a painless, inexpensive and quick cure for low self-esteem the impact of mental health would be lessened.

The side effect of being able to cure low self-esteem may be that factors causing low self-esteem such as bullying, abuse, relationship problems, high stress, perfectionism may lessen and stop the cycle repeating itself. Low self-esteem is like a spark that turns into a wild-fire in some people. If it can be limited to back burning in its fire intensity it is much easier to control and many lives would be saved.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/placebo-effect/

Juggling Act

May 20, 2015 inspiringmax

How is this year shaping up so far? Write a post about your biggest challenges and achievements thus far.

For me, this year seems to be constantly giving me one theme—anything can happen. It is about learning to juggle even more balls in the air and see how much higher I can get them. Just when I think that I can’t juggle anymore someone comes along and says “I believe you can do this.”

Suddenly I decide let’s give it a chance anyway and I am taken to a new level and learnt a new skill. Sometimes its a bit surreal how it all comes together. Many years ago I learnt to juggle. Initially I used scarves to give me more time to learn the mechanics and then I was using balls. Once learnt juggling is a skill I haven’t forgotten but it definitely gets better the more I do it.

For me this is the same with my challenges. The more I choose to say—why not instead of why—the more I see my world open in different directions. This year I have changed my role at work and completed the A-Z April Challenge writing every day on a new letter of the alphabet whilst at the same time keeping up my usual blogging schedule. I have also learnt how to download my book as an e-book to help with the final stages of editing. Who knew I had the ability and only five months in. Certainly not me but I have kept pushing myself, learning new things and here I am reminding myself that I am not nearly as breakable as I thought and getting stronger by the day.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/state-of-your-year/

Sleep Equals Beauty

May 19, 2015 inspiringmax

Sleep is one-third of our lives: write a post about it. Do you love naps? Have trouble falling alseep? Wish you could remember your dreams? Remember something especially vivid? Snuggle under a blanket, or throw the windows wide open? Meditate on sleep.

Sleep rejuvenates you. I knew that but I don’t think I fully understood its meaning until I this video by researchers out of London. It shows very clearly the impact on skin of having 6 hours sleep each night instead of 8 hours. Personally I rarely get 8 hours as I have such a long commute in the morning however aiming for 7 – 7.5 is probably a realistic goal and cheaper than all the correction make-up required if I don’t.

https://youtu.be/Vy4CoCDh9nA

Other benefits of more sleep include:

Better mood
Increased metabolism
Increased concentration
Improved memory
Helps creativity
Improves athletic performance
Improves attention
Increases well-being
Improves ability to study
Reduces stress

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/sleep/

Share Your World – 2015 Week 19

May 18, 2015 inspiringmax

Would you prefer a one floor house or multiple levels?

I prefer a house on one level. It makes it easier to live in and opens out the house. As I am beginning to age, I will make sure my next house is on a single level—just-in-case it is the last house I buy. Afterall, stairs and old age don’t mix.

When we lived in Wagga Wagga, country New South Wales, we had a great house built on one level. The previous owners liked the design so much that they rebuilt the exact design in their new suburb. If we ever built I definitely would consider it myself.

If you have a TV, would you prefer the TV in the living room or another room?

I prefer TV’s to be in either the lounge room or the family room. These rooms are places people congregate in, although in a perfect world maybe my home would have a designated home theatre room. The one place I don’t like a TV is in the bedroom as it disturbs my sleep.

When you leave a room, do you turn the lights off behind you or keep the lights on throughout your house most of the time? Explain your answer.

When I leave a room I prefer to leave the light on unless I know I won’t be returning to that room for over an hour. I think it is cheaper than turning lights on and off regularly. My husband however has other ideas and he is always trying to get me to turn lights off.

What’s your favorite room in your home?

I don’t really have a favourite room. However, I spend most of my time on my computer in the family room at the back of the house. I have also managed to make it my own by decorating it in purple and adding my Mickey Mouse collection.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week my father came for a visit and brought me some editing of my book he had finished. It is always exciting to get feedback from others on the progress ogf my book. This week is my daughters 21st birthday and I am looking forward to helping her celebrate with parties at home.

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/05/11/share-your-world-2015-week-19/

Party Time

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 inspiringmax

You’re throwing a party — for you! Tell us all about the food, drink, events, and party favours you’ll have for your event of a lifetime. Use any theme you like — it’s *your* party!

I love to celebrate my birthday. I take the day off work and do something fun—its my way of reminding myself that I am special. For my significant birthdays however I throw a party to share with my friends and family. My parties are simple affairs held at home.

Food is either a good old Aussie BBQ or pre-made finger food requiring heating only on the day. Everyone always loves my choices:

Cheese Dip
Chipolata Sausages
Chicken Sticks
Chicken Nuggets
Frankfurts
Meatballs
Party Pies
Prawns
Quiche Lorraine
Salmon Quiches
Sausage Rolls

Save some room for the sweet options:

Caramel Tarts
Chocolate Slice
Fairy Bread
Home-made Ice-cream With Lollies and Sherbet
Jelly Slice
Vanilla Slice

All of this is washed down with a few glasses of champagne or cocktails. Clever conversation is what follows—with maybe the odd party game or two. Basically whatever we feel like doing. My last party was my 50th birthday a few years ago. Remembering the food for this prompt has helped me as I am plan my daughters 21st celebrations over the coming weeks. Here’s a glass of bubbles to celebrate.

Photo Credit: Google Images

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/its-my-party/

Everyone Is Welcome

May 17, 2015 inspiringmax

If you could have a guarantee that one, specific person was reading your blog, who would you want that person to be? Why? What do you want to say to them?

Inspiring Max is not written for any one person. It’s “goal is to inspire you—developing a spark of hope into a fire that warms you and lights your path.” This is an open invitation to all who through their life journey have stumbled upon my blog. Whatever your reason for visiting — you are welcome. I hope you find inspiration to look on the positive side of life through the contents of Inspiring Max.

I find inspiration to do many things through my adventures on the blogosphere and I hope Inspiring Max does the same for others. I chose the double rainbow to represent my blog as it also reminds us of that life is not always dark and gloomy and there is hope ahead.