Mindfulness Archives - INSPIRING MAX

Time Out

June 10, 2015 inspiringmax

We all have things we need to do to keep an even keel — blogging, exercising, reading, cooking. What’s yours?

My mental health is important to me, so when things become too much I take time out. Depending on the situation I may take 5 minutes or a whole day. Sometimes the situation will need me to take 5 minutes in the middle to recollect my thoughts and a day as soon as possible when it is over. During this time I do whatever I feel like to top up my tank and prepare for the next wave.

My time out options – for short and long time periods can be found in the following acrostic poem.

Treat myself

Isolate—block out the world

Meditate

Exit the situation

Outdoors—connect with nature

Useful—be creative in some way

Talk—online or in person

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/on-the-edge/

STARLIGHT Blogger Award

June 8, 2015June 8, 2015 inspiringmax

This Award is created to highlight and promote Inspiring Bloggers.

I would like to thank Anne at https://annermurray.wordpress.com/ for being a part of my blogging community and nominating me for the “STARLIGHT Blogger Award”. I was honoured and encouraged to receive this Award from another inspiring blogger. The STARLIGHT Blogger Award is a new Award to honor those individuals who are considered “The light emanating from the stars“—the bloggers that bring daily light into your soul with their creativity—the blogs you love to read, listen and visit! The Award was created by Carolina as token of love and appreciation and encouragement so please spread the love and pass it to other deserved bloggers!

Nominations Rules:
Nominate your 6 favorite bloggers! In your nominees I would like for you to think at the light emanating from the stars the ones that truly touch your soul with their work, the ones that are the light for you a true STARLIGHT Blogger.

Rules for the STARLIGHT Blogger Award:
Thank the giver and link their Blog to your post.
Answer the 3 questions given to you.
Please Pass the award on to 6 or more other Bloggers of your choice and let them know that they have been nominated by you.
Include the logo of the award in a post or on your Blog please never alter the logo and never change the rules.

Please don’t delete this note: the design for the STARLIGHT Bloggers Award has been created from YesterdayAfter is a Copyright image you cannot alter or change it in any way just pass it to others that deserve this award.
Copyright 2015 © YesterdayAfter.com – Design by Carolina Russo

My Nominees for the STARLIGHT Blogger Award:

http://eclecticoddsnsods.co.uk/ Eclectic Odds N Sods

http://optimisticmisfit.com/ B’s Words

https://sendsunshine.wordpress.com/ Send Sunshine

http://lisadorenfest.com/ Lisa Dorenfest

http://maraeastern.com/ Mara Eastern

https://flowersandbreezes.wordpress.com/

My questions answered:

1. What hinders your creativity (if you could say one thing)?

My life is busy so the biggest hindrance to my creativity is time. Time to calm my head. I like to take any topic and put a positive Inspiring Max spin on it. Sometimes if my original idea doesn’t feel right I won’t go with it just for the sake of blogging. I continue to consider my options until it works, which may mean the opportunity is lost. No problem the way I see it “you win some and you lose some.” At other times in this consideration stage I have totally changed my idea and released creativity that really works.

2. Why do you create? (Please be specific)

My creative outlet is writing and my goal is to inspire people to look on the positive side of life even when things are not going according to plan.”To inspire you—developing a spark of hope into a fire that warms you and lights your path.” I do this in a personal, positive, practical way by ensuring each post is encouraging and interesting.

3. What advice could you give to new bloggers for creativity or inspiration?

Write what you know. Be honest, try new things and find your voice. There are no rules and there is an audience for everyone. It is important to remember that blogging is a community and you will get out of it what you put in. Visit other blogs—like and comment on their posts. This is something I do regularly especially if I am running short on time. Even in 5 minutes I can visit many blogs—reading and responding to them which helps keep traffic moving on my blog when I have not written a new blog post. Enjoy the journey and make new friends with the amazing people you will meet on the way.

Please note:
No one should feel obligated to accept this Award or to link back. I just wanted to share with other’s in the community how inspiring and amazing you and your Blogs are. I’ve enjoyed visiting them on a regular basis. If you do decide to accept this award and pass it on that’s greatly appreciated!

New Questions For Those Who Accept:

1. What is your favourite creation?

2. Where do you see your creativity taking you in 3 years?

3. What advice could you give to new bloggers for creativity or inspiration?

If you decided to accept the STARLIGHT Blogger Award, please put a link to the post in my comments. Also please nominate at least 6 bloggers for this amazing award. Thank you and have a great time! Inspiring Max https://www.inspiringmax.com/

Eat, Drink And Be Merry

June 7, 2015 inspiringmax

…for tomorrow we die. The world is ending tomorrow! Tell us about your last dinner — the food, your dining companions, the setting, the conversation.

If the world was ending tomorrow I would choose to go camping in the Australian bush with all my family. Not glamping—glamourous camping with all the modern conveniences. Camping à la natural. No electricity, no showers and dig your own toilets. I love getting out with nature, listening to the sounds of the bush and hopefully seeing a koala or possum in the trees. We have never had a problem with snakes as with over 20 people we make too much noise.

The food would be a bush BBQ that we begin preparing in the afternoon by collecting a massive amount of wood to keep us going all night—waiting for the world to end. Included on the menu is:

bacon
capsicum
corn
damper
green salad
mushrooms
potatoes
rissoles
rocket salad
sausages
steak

After dinner as we continued to chat and drink champagne and beer by the fire I would introduce S’mores to the family. I would get everyone to cook their marshmallows over the fire while I prepared their chocolate and biscuits. We don’t have graham crackers in Australia so I would use the best substitute I could find. Once the marshmallow is cooked I would join them all together and watch everyone’s enjoyment.

The spontaneity of sitting around a campfire is the best. Nothing is or can be planned yet the memories last forever.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/eat-drink-and-be-merry/

First Blogiversary

May 10, 2015May 11, 2015 inspiringmax

On Mothers Day 2014 I bit the bullet and started a blog. I had no idea where this journey would lead me but I stepped out anyway and the following have been my rewards.

I have met many new friends
I am no longer scared of the internet
Writing daily has helped my word order and editing skills
I have a greater knowledge of countries around the world
I have learnt to reach out to others by leaving a comment on their blog
Understanding WordPress has helped me download my draft copy of my book as an e-book in Pressbooks
I am learning to write poetry
I am learning about search engine optimization
I have been viewed by people in 114 countries some I didn’t know existed
I am learning to fix things on my blog
I am becoming more comfortable using my experiences as a basis for my writing in a public forum
I have learnt to never assume anything and to make my writing clear
Over the 12 months I have had 12, 567 views and have 415 followers
I have learnt that visiting other blogs is as important as writing a post
I have enjoyed several Blogging University courses and learnt a lot from them
The A -Z April Blogging Challenge really tested me but I was excited to join it and complete all posts
I now notice fun blog ideas and can gather the information ahead of time
My audience continues to grow as I learn about traffic flow
Blogging events help us to interact
I have developed and understand my online voice and how it connects with others
I have learned about many new cultures, people, places and things
Finding peace in the blogging community
I have developed confidence with my writing through feedback from others
Learnt to use photos to enhance my posts
I enjoy writing and designing quotes using Picmonkey
I have learnt perseverance—it takes time to find your community blogging
Never give up, keep chipping away at it
Some things you can’t control and who how many people visit your blog is one of them

Thank you for joining me on my journey and I hope we continue to interact over the years to come in the blogosphere. My first ever post on Mother’s Day is here

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

S – Self-nurturing

April 24, 2015April 25, 2015 inspiringmax

Who doesn’t love a list? So write one! Top five slices of pizza in your town, ten reasons disco will never die, the three secrets to happiness — go silly or go deep, just go list-y.

Self-Nurturing, by definition, is taking care of yourself and doing things to improve your wellbeing. This is a skill often omitted or lost when we get busy with life and needs to be replaced to help manage our stress. Self-nurturing goals need to be simple and daily.

If necessary— plan your self-nurturing activities. Aim to practise two to three activities a day depending on what they are. Bigger goals require more effort so fewer are needed each week. Create your list of things you enjoy and that work for you. Some examples include:

Alone Time
Blogging
Drawing
Going for a walk
Having a facial
Having a foot rub
Having a massage
Having a shower or bath
Listening to music
Make a phone call to a friend
Meditating and relaxing
Painting your finger and toe nails
Playing games
Playing with children or a pet
Putting on makeup
Reading
Sitting by the beach/lake and watching the water
Smelling or picking some flowers
Socialising with friends
Swimming
Treat your to a manicure or pedicure
Using moisturiser
Visiting the library, art gallery or museum
Walking barefoot on the sand
Watching a comedy show or movie
Writing

Of the above list I think my favourite is walking barefoot on the beach and smelling flowers. They use more than one sense so to me this feels more intense. What is your favourite way to self-nurture?

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/the-satisfaction-of-a-list/

Mentoring

April 16, 2015 inspiringmax

Have you ever had a mentor? What was the greatest lesson you learned from him or her?

Make the most of every opportunity—the good, the bad and the ugly

Educate yourself and experiment

Nobody is an instant expert

Trial and error allows you to understand the process

Open up and attempt new things

Respect everyone and the job they do

Instructions need to be understood—keep asking for clarification until you get them

Nutrition, nurture and nature—access them daily

Goal setting is essential—not an optional extra

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

Dealing With Anger

April 15, 2015 inspiringmax

Tell us about a time when you flew into a rage. What is it that made you so incredibly angry?

I don’t fly into rages. Yes I get angry—but I deal with it quickly stopping it developing further along its continuum and having a greater impact on my life.

The anger continuum has 3 points:

Anger_________Rage_________Fury

I put out spot fires of anger, stopping them becoming bush fires of rage or mega wild fires of fury. The further down the continuum you go, the more out of control the emotion and the more damage you are likely to do to yourself or others.

Anger is a valid, strong emotion. It comes about when we feel personally wronged or attacked. By acknowledging what I am angry about, I can decide what I need to do about it. My response usually comes in one of the following ways:

Acknowledging that I have a right to be angry about it and that I was hurt—no further action required.

Taking some deep breath, listening to my favourite loud music and just chilling for a moment. Pink’s music works well here.

Ventilating my anger in a healthy way e.g kick a ball around, journal my feelings or just yell for a minute of too.

Responding to my anger and speaking to the person involved. To do this I would make a time to discuss the matter with the person I am angry with. I let them know why I am angry using ‘I’ statements. I am entitled to be angry and they don’t get to tell me I shouldn’t be angry—they also cannot take my feeling away. However, by talking about it with the person concerned, together we open the lines of communication and make a plan to get to the bottom of the issue. Being heard by the other person helps me feel validated and allows me to let it go.

My last option is to discuss it with a friend/mental health work colleague. This gives me closure and helps me see the situation through the other persons eyes. Many people may use therapy to help with this stage.

I grew up with and still where possible follow the biblical quote on this topic— Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger”— as failing to do so has a great impact on one’s mental health.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/mad-as-a-hatter/

I – Inukshuk #A – Z Challenge

April 13, 2015 inspiringmax

An inukshuk is a human-shaped man-made stone landmark built by the Inuit people of the Artic region. Traditionally they are built to assure the newcomer to the area that they are on the right path and point to good local hunting places or other food sources.

Inukshuks are made by using whatever rocks or stones are around and balancing them on top of each other in the traditional shape of a human with one arm longer and pointing in the direction needed.

All inukshuks are unique.

Last month my husband and I were surprised to find an inukshuk made in the creek at Minyon Falls. He was special and brought a smile to our faces as we remembered our recent trip to Canada.

#A-Z Challenge

F – Fantastic News

April 8, 2015 inspiringmax

You get some incredibly, amazingly, wonderfully fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

I am assuming from this prompt that the incredibly, amazingly, wonderful fantastic news is mine to tell—if not I would keep their secret.

If it is mine, initially I would say thank you to my angels and spend some time enjoying the moment—connecting with everything I was feeling in my body and head. The more exciting my news—the more I would plan my sharing. Super exciting news requires time for self rejoicing, planning, dreaming and working out what it means before sharing my news with the world including my immediate family.

Once I had worked through my news, I would plan a special dinner that evening for the family and share my news with them in person. I love to see the responses on their faces particularly if the news related to something I know they thought I truly was dreaming about. I tend to be the believer in the power of positive thinking and the law of attraction and not everyone shares my thoughts. I love examples of it working in my life.

Once we had celebrated—with a fancy champagne—my husband and I would work out a plan to share my news with the rest of the family—parents and siblings. This would mostly involve ringing them individually or sending a text if time poor although sometimes a road trip may be in order to tell them personally.

Only after all of these options had been completed and if I decided my news was suitable for a public billboard would I post a status update to Facebook. My personal boundaries stop me announcing anything and everything to the world without careful consideration.

Through blogging I have become more comfortable with my online presence however I don’t want any surprises. If appropriate, to complete my celebrations and take it to a new level I would write a blog post and see where that takes me.The advantage of celebrating through a blog post is that you get to celebrate many times over as people read the blog posts in their own time.

Bring on the fantastic news—I love to celebrate.

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

#A-Z Challenge

Weekly Photo Challenge:Ephemeral

March 31, 2015 inspiringmax

This week’s theme: ephemeral. Show us your interpretation!

Last Sunday my husband and I took photos of the sunset from Cape Byron—Australia’s most easterly point. It truly was a ephemeral experience. The top photos show the sunsetting over Australia while the bottom two totally different photos are the hues over the Pacific Ocean. It was quite remarkable.

Over Australia