My Word For 2018

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believe, courage, encouragement, Fear, growing up, growth, Happy New Year, letting go, love, mindful, power, powerlessness, release, resiliency, surrender, trust, Truth

Have you ever noticed that the circumstances in life that you struggle with the most seem to repeat themselves over and over again, until you finally find a way to handle them differently?

In past years, I have chosen a word for the upcoming new year. Words like tenacity and service, or perhaps the words actually chose me as my friend Louise Gallagher, over at Dare Boldly has often suggested.

I am certain that my word for 2018 chose me.

Let It Go.

Yes, I know those are three words, but no single word I’ve found, such as release, or surrender, or acquiesce, have fully meant to me what those three little words have come to mean.

I realize, as well, that those three little words have not just made their debut in 2017. They have been waiting patiently at the sidelines for three years, maybe more.

You see, in my family, an issue arises and we scramble to “Fix It”. This works well when it’s a manageable situation like, my car won’t start – call AMA, or my computer is acting up – have you tried rebooting it.

Yet there are many situations in life where you can do all you know to do, and it doesn’t get fixed. There are variables that are simply out of your control, and those are the very things, in my case, that can roll around in my head like a PowerPoint presentation or video that has been set to ‘continuous loop.’

That loop can take over, and more often than not, it prevents me from taking action in other situations, over which I actually have some measure of power to make a difference.

And so, those three little words unassumingly step forward for the millionth time to gently nudge me, encourage me to recognize, to really see that it is time to let it go, to trust, and accept, and even embrace the natural unfolding of what is.

And yes, it really is as simple as that.

Wishing you all an amazing 2018 filled with courage, growth, resiliency and love,

Diana

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When Someone Loves You…

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200 words, abuse of power, belong, compassion, courage, Diana Schwenk, family, Fear, feelings, freedom, gift, heart, Hump Day Chronicles, kindness, life, love, mindful, passion, strong, weak

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.

Billy – age 4

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤  Love  ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Some say…

Love is a feeling dependent on current circumstances. Love is a made up human construct. Love is finicky. Love is possessing. Love hurts. Love doesn’t last. Love is a nice word for lust. Love must be earned. I’ll only love you if you love me. Love means you would take the blame for me. Love means I own you. Love makes you weak. Love is irrational.

Others say…

Love your neighbor as yourself. Love is a verb. Love is forever. Love is unconditional. Love is the answer to every question. Love is selfless. Love is letting go. Love is an act of your will. Love nourishes. Love wants the best for you. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love makes you strong. Love makes you feel like you belong.

I have heard so much about love and what it means to people. But never have I heard such an eloquent way to describe love as stated by 4-year old Billy in the above quote.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

What do you say?

Where Do You Rate on the Worry Scale?

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200 words, Act, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Fear, fear of failure, health, living in the moment, mindful, power, trust, worry

“Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.” – Walt Disney

The image above seems to say, “This is how your spirit feels when you let go.”

Many of you provide tips to living well in your blogs.

You use words like mindfulness, living in the moment.

You talk about letting go of the outcomes.

Do what is in your power to do and then let go.

And trust the process.

I’d be lying if I told you that I have this down pat, but I am learning!

If I were to rate myself on a Worry Scale of 1 to 10; 1 being  I never worry, 5 being I worry, but examine why I’m worrying, take action where I can, then let it go and 10 being I’m a chronic worrier, I would select 5 as the norm, and 7 in this moment.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Where would you rate yourself as the norm? At this moment? Do you think worrying is related to gender or the same across the board? What one issue do you worry about the most? If you’re a worrier, how do you manage it?

related post: STOP and Find Balance

The Fatal Metaphor

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200 words, behind us, bullshit, choose, courage, dream, friends, GK Chesterton, inside us, integrity, mindful, Purpose

The fatal metaphor of progress, which means leaving things behind us, has utterly obscured the real idea of growth, which means leaving things inside us. ~ Gilbert Chesterton

“I have to project a certain image,” I explained.

“There is a certain way I need to present myself.

If I don’t set an example…if I don’t draw the line, they won’t think I’m a professional.”

“BULLSHIT!”

I looked at her in stunned silence – exasperated.

Why didn’t she get it?

“What’s with all this executive crap? It’s not you,” she blurted that day three years ago.

Then softly, “You’ve lost so much of who you are – if you don’t snap out of it, you’ll be lost for good.”

Oh… now I get it!

She was right of course.

She never was one to mince her words and maybe that’s why we’ve been friends for over 20 years.

In my effort to be successful I was doing what they expected of me.

And in the doing, I’d lost the very passion that had brought me there in the first place.

Be careful who you choose to be.

Be mindful of the dreams you chase and why.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~