Category: Daily Prompt

Networking

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Are you good at what you do? What would you like to be better at?

I am good at what I do because I work hard at it. I am always looking for new ways to improve myself—both at work and in my personal life. My theory is when you stop growing—you stop living. So what is next you ask? As I hope to publish my book by the end of this year—2015 is about improving my networking skills—self-promotion. I have learnt that networking no longer means talking to everyone in the room—this makes it easier. Please enjoy my networking plan in a poem.

New experience to gather knowledge

Express interest in the other person

Time to bond with others

Working the room—who are you drawn to

Opportunity to ask questions

Relax and smile

Know your purpose and don’t be distracted

Include your elevator pitch

Note areas for later follow-up

Greet all with enthusiasm

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/i-have-confidence-in-me/

Tree Change Dolls

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What would you put in this year’s time capsule to channel the essence of our current moment for future generations?

Yesterday I discovered Tree Change Dolls—remodeled, refreshed and re-styled—rejected Bratz dolls by Australian artist Sonia Singh from Tasmania. Bratz dolls are everywhere. They are styled on high rock fashion with heavy make-up. The look alone was enough for me to refuse to ever buy one for anyone. My other problem is the name Bratz. It is not something I want to encourage in anyone. For the same reason, I could never buy the clothing brand No Rules.

Sonia decided to redesign the dolls into something her children wanted to play with, because of her love of playing with dolls. She found the rejected dolls in the second-hand shops and breathed new life into them. The result is beautiful natural looking dolls that children can associate with as their faces remind them of friends and people they knew. The photo below is the same doll—originally harsh looking, bordering on scary then given a new make-down—looking soft, gentle and angelic.

Photo Credit: Sonia Singh

Photo Credit: Sonia Singh

Sonia’s transformation involves removing the original makeup using nail polish remover. She then paints on new eye brows, eyes and lipstick. Her mother knits little tops for each doll and sews some pants or a skirt—giving each doll an individual homemade feel. When the outfit is complete Sonia then moulds boots for their feet that match their outfits.

Photo Credit: Sonia Singh

Photo Credit: Sonia Singh

Below is a sample of Sonia’s Tree Change family playing in the great outdoors—where kids used to play.

Photo Credit: Sonia Singh

Photo Credit: Sonia Singh

Since Sonia created a Facebook page and Tumblir for her Tree Change Dolls in a no time they went viral. Everyone wants their own natural doll—the problem is she wasn’t expecting this level of support and isn’t sure what to do about it. Personally I think this is a great way to move froward.  Reverting back to kids being kids and not the sexualised images of the original Bratz dolls. It has my support and is the reason I would put it in my time capsule today.

 

 

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/time-capsule/

Unique

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Write a post about anything you’d like — in the style of your favorite blogger. (Be sure to link to them!)

Back in 1980 my 6th form English teachers wrote on my high school reference, Max “has a unique personality.” I was so proud.  The statement showed he understood me and wasn’t trying to make me fit a mould. It was this reference that 6 weeks later, as an 18-year-old helped get me a traineeship in psychiatric nursing. 35 years later I still work in mental health. It suits my unique personality. All those years ago, if I had copied others because that was the normal thing to do—I wouldn’t have found my calling.

Finding your own personality, believing and following  your own style is important in developing your own confidence. It is this confidence that allows you to achieve your goals. Imitation is observing and replicating another’s  behaviour—something I am not interested in doing on any level—even for fun. There are many other bloggers who think similar to myself and whose blogs I enjoy however, having a different style of writing changes the feel of the post and in my opinion isn’t being true to either style.

I am all for learning and adding new forms of writing to my blog—my latest addition being poetry. But in my own unique voice. Being true to myself is a personal value of mine which leaves no reason to copy others. Believe in yourself and develop your voice. Copying others will keep you not being true to you.

Be unique. The world need more uniqueness—not more imitators.

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

Dreaming In Action

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You’re having a nightmare, and have to choose between three doors. Pick one, and tell us about what you find on the other side.

I don’t usually remember my dreams. I am sure I have them as part of my natural sleep cycle, but they don’t wake or disturb me. Occasionally if some thing on my mind—even on my subconscious mind—it will cause me to awake from my sleep through a dream. When this happens something—needs to be done about the issue. No problem is waking me twice.

During my dreaming process the answer to what needs to be done is clear. I don’t need three doors—I only need one. The practical one with the action to complete the task. If I can’t decide on a solution I will deliberately sleep on it. Suddenly, in the morning or during the night the answer will come. To help explain how dreams work I have included a video—it puts a little clarity around the mystery of dreaming.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/just-a-dream/

Circle of Five

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A writer once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If this is true, which five people would you like to spend your time with?

I think motivational speaker Jim Rohn is correct with this quote. Actually, I believe it so much that I have used it in my book on eating disorder recover. For this reason I maintain my distance from people, places and things that are destructive or will sabotage my goals and plans.

This year my focus is mostly on finishing my book and handing it over to Balboa Press to complete the self-publishing process. It has been a long journey for me about believing in and backing myself. Starting this blog was part of this plan, as my voice had never been heard online before. Each day I become more comfortable with marketing my brand.

To support this part of my life, the five people I will spend time with are:

  1. Louise Hay – founder of Hay House and author of “You Can Heal Your Life”
  2. Jack Canfield  – author of “The Success Principles and Chicken Soup for the Soul series”
  3. Janet Evanowich – my favourite fiction novelist
  4. Dale Carnegie – author of “How To Win Friends and Influence People”
  5. My husband – my supporter, friend and first editor

Who do you need to spend your time with to meet your goals. Although I may never be able to meet these people in real life and I can always reacquaint myself with them by reading their books and stories again—taking note of the points that are speaking to me.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/circle-of-five/

Boundaries

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What question do you hate to be asked? Why?

I don’t mind what questions people ask me. I have strong boundaries so if I don’t think the person has a right or reason to know the answer I will tell them I am not answering. If I think it is appropriate I will give them a reason but most of the time I don’t. My boundaries—my decisions. No correspondence will be entered into.

Our boundaries are imaginary lines that tell others what behaviours, attitudes and values are acceptable and not acceptable to us. They tell others how close they can come. Think of your boundaries as the fences to your life. Fences have gates that allow certain people to pass and stop others.They ensure your safety because you choose who gets close and whom you keep at a distance.

You get to choose your own boundaries—for your behaviour as well as others. If you don’t like someone’s behaviours—you get to choose your response to their behaviours. Your response can be very effective in changing or stopping the other person’s behaviours.

Healthy boundaries are important for healthy relationships. People not taught effective boundaries—live their lives in chaos—with regular unwanted invasions from others. Learn to work with your personal boundaries as they can help you mange uncomfortable situations and tricky questions.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/plead-the-fifth/

ME Time

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What’s your ideal Saturday morning? Are you doing those things this morning? Why not?

I believe one of the best ways to look after your mental health is to enjoy regular—preferably daily ME time. Time alone  doing only what you want to do—something that isn’t taxing on the brain. ME time recharges and energises me. I also prepares me to do battle with whatever lies ahead or brings me down from a busy and demanding day at work.

Saturday morning is my favourite time to catch up with myself. My busy week is over and I am usually home alone. I love the silence. I love the only sounds I can hear are the birds chirping outside—it quietens my busy head immediately. Upon rising usually early, I grab a cup of tea and head to my blog. I enjoy the excitement creating new posts in different styles brings me as well as visiting other blogs. It never ceases to amaze me how one topic can be interpreted in so many ways. I also enjoy learning more about the people, words and experiences that make up my ever-growing blogging community.

During busy weekend times when I cannot fit in my blogging hit to start off my weekend—I feel more stressed. ME time is definitely my de-stress time. I find ME time is definitely my oxygen to get through the rough parts of  life—like the plane warning states “put your own oxygen mask on before helping others.” So now I prioritise my ME time.  If I am busy I get up fifteen minutes earlier—to have some ME time—in the end I feel better for it as my day runs much smoother.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/me-time/

Goodbye

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You have the chance to write one last post on your blog before you stop blogging forever. Write it.

 

Greetings friends

Open your hearts

Open your minds

Direction helps with desire

Blogging is your community

You can do it—look for the positive

Even in tough times continue to follow your dreams

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/last-words/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Rule of Thirds

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 This week, compose your subject off-center, obeying the Rule of Thirds.

For this weeks photo challenge I have chosen photos taken last winter when kookaburras decided to visit our yard on separate occasions. Taking the photos was a challenge as I didn’t want to scare them off, but wanted to get up close enough to use the rule of thirds. For a beginner photographer I was happy with the results.

Kookaburra sits on our back fence

 

Kookaburra sits on our house trim

 

 

Two visiting Kookaburras

 

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/rule-of-thirds/

https://mutafariqkhayalat.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/my-best-of-feb15/

Transition Recovery House

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You’re given a plot of land and have the financial resources to do what you please. What’s the plan?

If I had the resources I would open a transition recovery house for people in the later stages of recovery from their eating disorder. It would be a small facility with 6-8 beds. Its purpose would be to support during the first 90 days after discharge from hospital anyone who was transitioning from their family home to independent living and met the entry criteria. This post discharge is critical for relapse as the stress triggers reverting to old coping skills. By living in a purpose-built facility and continuing to work on recovery—new practical coping skills can be taught in the here and now.

Moving out of home is a right of passage for most young people. For anyone it is a stressful time with a rewarding goal—independence. For people living with an eating disorder without extra support this is even more difficult. Pre-requisites of my transition recovery house would include:

  • a stabilised healthy weight for the individual—based on their bodies natural set point not BMI
  • study and /or working
  • individual and group cooking
  • group food shopping
  • daily recovery work time
  • weekly group work
  • mindfulness
  • body image work including shopping for clothes
  • compulsory participation in the structured house program
  • no alcohol or drugs
  • shared chore roster
  • personal clothes washing
  • keeping psychiatrist, dietitian and  psychology appointments
  • continued control of eating disorder behaviours
  • nightly accountability groups
  • budgeting
  • meal planning
  • volunteer work

I hope that over time my recovery transition house would develop to fill any other individual needs of its housemates and teach them how to do the same.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/a-plot-of-earth/