I have a sign with a definition of beautiful on it.  I love it.  It helps me with self affirmations.

bea*u*ti*ful
[b-yoo-tuh-fuhl]
adjective

1.  having beauty: delighting the senses or mind
2.  excellent of its kind: wonderful: remarkable

Affirmations are important.  At least I think so.  Too many times I give myself negative affirmations.  My thighs are too big.   I’m not smart enough to go back to school.  Too many times I self doubt. We have enough of the outside world telling us how to look, dress, act, and be.  Most of the time they imply negative thoughts so you question what you are wearing, or doing.  I question myself in everyday tasks enough without outside influences.

Recently, I have gotten more confident.  Being around supportive, encouraging people really help.  The people I work with and for are encouraging as well.  It is important, I think, to have yourself surrounded with people that genuinely care about you.  It is also important to give positive affirmations to those around you.  Be an encourager.

Tell someone that they are beautiful today.

Do y’all use Goodreads?  I first discovered it a couple of years ago.  I was reviewing a friend’s book, and thought it would be a good place to discover new reads.  I really didn’t use it for anything.  It just went away.

Now I have rediscovered it.  I am using it to keep track of the books I want to read.  Or have read.  In January they have a goal to set with a preset of 12 books to read.  Not sure that I can do that.  I am wanting to read more.  But with my math class…(another post!)

Do you use Goodreads?

Processes of grief.  So many of us are going through grief in some manner.  Losing a loved one is always difficult whether you expect it or not.

I like this graph.  I refer to it often to remind myself life is a process.  Grief is normal, and the feelings I experience are normal as well.  It has been ten years since my Mom has passed this February.  Waves of emotion with sadness, anger, loneliness, and guilt resurfaced when we were in Arkansas after Christmas.   But they didn’t last long.  The waves weren’t as high, or as fierce as they are when the grief is fresh.  Just being there in my old hometown caused ways of emotions.  So many of them were happy, but with the trees without their leaves everything seemed sad.

Grief isn’t just about death.  The grief process is associated with loss of anything significant.  Moving to a new area.  Loss of a job.  Separation or Divorce. Different stages hit each person differently.

Like I said, too many people going through grief right now.  Hugs to you.